Cessation of I R C's

I think I will survive without a personalized diatribe regarding the security shortcomings of a hobby level confirmation website. I'm sure we could discuss ad nauseum the security shortcomings of QSL cards and "card checkers" to an equal extent. That being said, if I ever have concerns about my online financial providers that I'm willing to share with a stranger, I'll be sure to reach out.

Security is not my point--I have no interest in the "integrity" of the site, but rather the mechanism by which folks confirm their QSOs. They seem unwilling to pay for their own stamps, so LOTW provides them with a perfectly reasonable outlet to avoid all postage related stresses altogether. Admittedly, the front end is a bit involved, but if one is "heel digging-ly" opposed to filling out a few online forms, downloading an app, waiting for a postcard in the mail, and entering a 10 digit code into a box on the screen...well then I would imagine life in general is a bit complicated to start with. For those that log digitally, but yet find the LOTW process a bit overwhelming, ham radio as a whole might be a bit above their paygrade and should probably be abandoned with prejudice.

 

Every body tells me I should give up IRC but I don't listen.

They know nothing ignoramus's IRC for Ever God Save our mighty Queen she keeps the palace clean GoD SAVE our QuEEeEEEN ! Thank you.

 

I certainly prefer paper confirmation but I do use LoTW and I can only say that those who think it is hard to set up must be really challenged using an electric toaster too.

 

Maybe im toaster challenged but my original setup of LOTW was a pain in the "ace".A couple years later I tried it again and it seems the folks at the ARRL
made the setup easier to work with my logging program. I've been enjoying the benefits of LOTW but still enjoy a paper qsl.

 

My limited understanding of current USPS regulations is that technically, the local post office IS required to accept IRC's.

But what usually happens is that the local post office staff are unfamiliar with them, and it's easier to just say "no" than to actually try and figure out what to do with them.

That information, incidentally, is courtesy of the postmaster of one of the downtown Pittsburgh post offices. He interceded when someone working the counter basically had a "WTF?" moment -- and called for assistance, rather than just saying "fuggedaboudit"

With all that in mind... if either of you gentlemen get valid IRC's in the near future & don't want to futz with the post office, I'll buy them from you for the equivalent cost of an air mail stamp (plus return postage), so you're not going to be out anything. OK?

 

Shouldn't be a problem, since I don't ask anyone to pay MY part in sending them MY QSL card! You pay yours, I pay mine, and suddenly, we don't even have to worry about IRCs or redeeming or expiring or validity of IRCs or green stamps being stolen or will the other guy's QSL card fit in my SASAE, or does his postoffice charge 8 times more of the envelope is more than 3" tall or any of that other crap.

You Pay Yours, I Pay Mine. If it's not important enough for you to pay yours, then clearly you don't need my card. Thanks for playing.

Or just upload to LOTW and it's FREE for everybody!

 

It's more a matter of how much paperwork is involved versus the gain recovered from doing that paperwork. I have 9 callsigns to deal with - that is complicated enough without LotW. That's 9 sets of paperwork to deal with for LotW for starters, when I know full well that the technology they use - if properly implemented - should only require 1 set.

I'm also not really much of an award chaser, so it's something that other people expect of me for their benefit, not mine. After many years of listening to people cajole me into putting at least one of my callsigns on LotW, I have done so, but even then I had to fill out the application and send it twice because although I followed the proper procedure, it got borked at the LotW end.

In short: it's unnecessarily complicated for something that serves me no particular purpose. It's not overwhelming in the slightest: it's simply annoying.

 

It's overwhelming and annoying for YOU because you've chosen to make your situation complicated and tedious by owning 9 callsigns (really?). As far as my experience goes...that just ain't normal. So I'd probably column your outlook, opinion, and data point as an "outlyer" to say the least.

And you may not chase awards, but the bloke on the other end of the call might, and he's probably appreciate a confirmation every now and then. One that either you pay your return postage, or provide via a digital venue.

 

If the man says cards are necessary (for him), then they are necessary. He doesn't need a case. Paper cards are necessary for me. I do LoTW just to satisfy those who want a confirmation but either can't or won't afford the cost of a stamp. But to meet my own established standard of a true QSL confirmation, I require a paper QSL card.

Someone on this board has something in his/her signature to the effect of, "If you can afford a radio, you can afford a damn stamp." I tend to agree with that. If I need (the necessity thing again) a card from Tenbucktwo, then I don't mind throwing in some cash, especially if it's an entity I don't already have and the guy works thousands of station each week. I have cards from probably 125 entities and yes, there is a little more than chump change involved in that. But ham radio is generally not a cheap hobby and the cost of getting those cards is just an extension of my operating costs.

 

Oh yeah, back to the original topic of IRCs. The local post office here has not carried them for some time and even when they did, it was anyone's guess as to whether they would have them when you needed them or if the postal worker on duty that day even knew what you were talking about. I'm content with sending two or three bucks cash and not having to worry about IRCs. Yes, it's bad...price increases....everyone hates paying more for something you've been getting at a certain price for the past umpteen years. But again, ham radio isn't a cheap hobby.

 

Not me, no way, no how. Of the cards I've sent with cash in them, I've received ONE back. ONE card. Figure a good night of operating for some yahoo in a halfway rare small third world country, if half of the QSOs send him 2 bucks, he's set for the rest of the year. OR he has a brand new rig or antenna or mast.

Nope. You Pay Yours. I Pay Mine.

 

I do pay return postage on every card request I send out. I expect the same when people send to me, but I don't get bent out of shape if they forget.

 

Interesting. I have received cards from 104 DX entities and have sent out 115. IF none of the others show up, that's a return rate of over 90%! I have no explanation for your low return rate. I guess if I had sent out 100 cards and only got 1 back, I might have a different opinion.

 

I have a perfect explanation--the dip skits are pocketing all the money and never intended to ship back a card.

 

My LOTW return rate overall is about 35%, my return rate during Contests for LOTW is a little higher.

I have about a 60% return rate for paper DX cards of late, When including return postage and a Self Addressed envelope.

I too wish more DX Stations used LOTW. After jumping through the hoops to Start, it is a joy to upload from my N3FJP Amateur Contact log.


Trying to track down DX cards on several bands is expensive, $1.15 postage to overseas, $2 to $3 on average for the return postage,
I need 30 QSL Cards to earn DXCC on 17m; times $4 overall cost that is $120.

OQRS is one way of saving some time, and seems to work more often, with a better return rate, than DX paper via snail mail.

For DXCC on 15m I am waiting for 10-12 cards that I have sent out over a month ago, 3 or 4 I sent in April with return postage, and still no reply.

Agreed it does take time away from being on the air to do the QSL Cards; which is where for me LOTW is much faster,
I just click on All contacts not Uploaded enter my password and click on the mouse again.

Good DX best of Health.

73 K2HAT Lee Hatfield